After the success of Jennifer Lawrence’s The Hunger Games, fans are soon going to get to watch a spin-off of the franchise which is based on Suzanne Collins’ The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. The namesake film will see Rachel Zegler play the lead role of the female tribute from District 12, Lucy Gray Baird.
Filmmaker Francis Lawrence will be returning to the director’s chair with the spin-off and while this has fans all hyped up, his recent comment about the two leading women of the franchise has garnered some backlash from the fans. According to him, while Rachel Zegler’s Lucy wears her sexuality on her sleeve, Jennifer Lawrence’s Katniss Everdeen is a bit asexual.
Was Jennifer Lawrence’s Katniss Everdeen Asexual?
The Ballad of the Songbirds and Snakes is set during the time of the 10th Hunger Games, sixty-four years before Jennifer Lawrence’s Katniss volunteered as tribute for the 74th Hunger Games. Both Katniss and Rachel Zegler’s Lucy belong to District 12 and both of them have what it takes to rebel against the Capitol. However, there is one thing that sets the two apart, or at least that’s what director Francis Lawrence thinks.
Lawrence was responsible for directing The Catching Fire and both parts of Mockingjay. Since he has returned to the role for the spin-off, it goes without saying that he knows the characters on a deep and personal level. However, his opinion about the sexualities of Lucy and Katniss might be a bit questionable.
Talking to Empire, the director stated,
“Katniss was an introvert and a survivor. She was quite quiet and stoic, you could almost say [she was] asexual. Lucy Gray is the opposite. She wears her sexuality on her sleeve, [and] she really is a performer. She loves crowds. She knows how to play crowds and manipulate people.”
According to Lawrence’s take, Lucy is truly what Katniss only pretended to be in front of Panem. Only time will tell what Lucy’s sexuality has to do with the storyline.
Fans Are Not Happy with Francis Lawrence’s Take
After Lawrence’s interview reached social media, it didn’t take fans long to condemn the filmmaker for his views. Fans who have read both the original books and the spin-off disagree with the filmmaker’s take that Lucy wore her sexuality on her sleeves in the book.
As for Katniss, fans cannot wrap their heads around the idea that the District 12 tribute could be asexual, especially since she was heavily involved in a love triangle with Josh Hutcherson’s Peeta and Liam Hemsworth’s Gale. In fact, she and Peeta even went on to become parents to a son and a daughter, years after the events of Mockingjay.
As for why Katniss seemed uninterested in either Peeta or Gale for a long time, well, it could have something to do with the fact that she was busy saving her life in the arena and was later leading a revolution. The girl had a lot on her plate to have time for romance!
Here’s what fans have to say about Lawrence’s take on Lucy and Katniss’ sexualities:
I don’t recall Lucy wearing sexuality on her sleeve in the books. And Katniss doesn’t give off asexual vibes. She was a teenager under a lot of stress…
— Original Doll (@22dbrit) August 29, 2023
This is so… strange lol?? They’re talking as if all asexuals are introverted/stoic and as if all people who are more comfortable with their sexuality have to be loud about it. 🥴
— Ya girl Kat 🌸 (@bbygirlkattt) August 30, 2023
How can you say she was almost she asexual if she had two love interests like the math and mathing.
— ÑÁŽÜ🤍 (@_nazu1) August 30, 2023
As someone who’s read the books, this is just. No.
Lucy didn’t “wear her sexuality” on her sleeve. Idk to me she was just like. A normal teenager forced to fight for her life like every other damn teenager in the movies and books— Sabrina Taylor (@sabrinaquinzel) August 30, 2023
Can someone explain to me why this has anything to do with asexuality? Like you do know you can be sexual but also extroverted and entertaining
— Daydreamer (@BundtcakeVip) August 29, 2023
She wasn't asexual. She had so much on her plate. A dead dad, a depressed mother, a sister to survive, and a family to take care. What do you expect from a girl who trying desperately to survive. She always had a feeling for peeta since she was a kid but life was rough for her.
— the waning moon (@TheElysian97) August 30, 2023
I don’t know much about these characters but I know enough after reading the comments that this is a horrible take from the director 😂 pic.twitter.com/xn43pqZFOI
— GDO3tv (@gdo3tv) August 30, 2023
Do you agree with Lawrence or are you on the fans’ side who believe his take was a bit uncalled for? Perhaps his side of the story will be better understood when the spin-off releases.
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of the Songbirds & Snakes is set to release on November 17, 2023.
Source: Empire
